Seniors Site

Indeed, online dating made it easier for seniors to meet other people, something that is not quite possible years ago. Online dating took dating to a whole new level, enabling seniors to meet other single seniors even if they are miles away from each other or just around the corner but living in an entirely different circle. In other words, it made our world a little wider and gave us a little more room to grow. However, online dating is not without its own stories of heartaches and disappointments, unfortunately, seniors are more vulnerable to these online dating risks since half of dating seniors group is new to this.
First and foremost, seniors need to know that rejections are very common within the online dating arena. It is because most of those who join online dating sites are only looking for casual dating and yes, not in so much of a hurry to be tied down to a long term relationship. In other words, these sites are meant to use for fun and seldom as a tool to stumble into your idea of one true love. Before you join senior online dating sites, it is important that you know exactly what your expectations are so if and when a rejection comes your way, you will be able to handle it well.
•    No one is choosing you. There are many factors you have to consider when you feel the community is ignoring you. Fact is, they don’t intentionally ignore you so never take it personally. Bear in mind that there are about thousands of choices to choose from and most of them have been active long enough to know what works and what doesn’t. Examine your profile closely, maybe the problem lies there.
•    Chasing a nonresponsive person. So, you have sent hundreds of emails her way and not get a single response. You felt crushed, of course. Thing is, you are wasting your time for someone you assume exists, just because their profile said so. Also, if they are not responding to your mails, maybe it’s time for you to move on since it’s quite obvious he or she is not anymore looking for companionship.
•    Pulled a disappearing act in the middle of a potentially successful match. Online dating sites receive tons of registration each and everyday. It is not impossible for someone who is vaguely interested with you to suddenly shift gears when faced with someone more attractive than you. You would too, I bet.
•    Two rejections in a row. The thing with online dating is, you must always move forward. It is completely pointless to dwell on things when there’s nothing much you can do. Online dating experts suggest that you incorporate online dating into your lifestyle to maximize the experience.

While it won’t be easy for your beloved aging parents to admit there’s something wrong inside their bodies, you, on the other hand, can tell, especially if you are super vigilant about it. If you are living with them or just visiting them once every week, it is important to observe their movements so you’ll know if there’s anything amiss. Here are some warning signs you should take note to know if your aging parent’s health is declining or needs immediate attention:
•    Sudden weight loss. If you notice this change in your senior, you should get to the bottom of the problem at once since your senior can possibly face malnutrition if left unattended. Have they lost their appetite? Or just having trouble preparing food for themselves? Or perhaps, having trouble swallowing their food? Weight loss in seniors can be attributed to many different factors, it is wise to recognize the problem early on before it’s too late.
•    Declining personal hygiene. Are your seniors letting go of their appearances? It is just natural for every human being to keep themselves clean, declining personal hygiene must mean they no longer care about how they appear or what they look like, just goes to say that there must be something wrong.
•    Trouble keeping their balance. You know how hazardous it is for seniors if their balance is not as strong as they once used to be. They risk falling or tripping which can lead to broken bones and other health maladies.
•    Medication negligence. It is either your senior is failing to take his or her medications on time or they are overmedicating already without even realizing it. You, as the concerned relative should be able to know if they are not neglecting their medications just by checking their bottles and prescriptions during visitations.
•    Mood swings or signs of depression. Are they withdrawing from their beloved activities and now prefer to be left alone? Are they trying to avoid any contact at all from other people? Or suddenly shifts from one mood to another? It’s one good sign that there is something bothering them.
•    Inactivity. Inactivity can represent a troubling physical problem such as aching joints or muscle cramps. Limited range of motion only means there is something hindering them from doing daily chores. Accompanying them to a doctor to be checked will be the wisest thing to do.

Whether or not we are officially in summer months, seasonal allergy sufferers are already packing their bags and threatening to leave the country just to escape the onslaught, especially seniors as it seems they are the most affected ones during this time of the year, not to mention the discomfort allergy gives.
As established facts, two of the known factors of allergies are genetics and your environment. There are people who, when subjected to a certain kind of allergen react violently while others are obviously tolerating it like it’s part of their body’s system, then there are some who just develop a reaction later in life. For years, researchers have been trying their best to pinpoint the cause of such condition. However, due to the apparent mystery of allergies and how the condition is triggered, myths were born. Here are some myths which, if considered, make sense, but are actually the farthest from the truth.
•    No one dies of an allergy. Allergies are life threatening! Anaphylaxis, for one, is a fatal allergic reaction that has rapid onset and can kill on an instant.
•    It’s in your pet’s fur. Actually, it’s not. The actual allergen comes from the protein their skin produces. Like us people, your pets shed off flakes of skin called dander. This microscopic flake will then become airborne and can be inhaled by hypersentitive people in the room, causing his or her body to react to the allergen.
•    It’s the iodine that the shellfish has. Not true, again. In fact, it’s the protein they have—again.
•    There’s such thing as milk allergy. Even if your body reacts violently to milk, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are allergic to them. You have what is called as lactose intolerant and it doesn’t affect your immune system as an allergy will do.
•    Go organic—to avoid allergens. Not so, as organic foods can still cause allergic reactions to a person. Bottom line is, it is not how the food is prepared but what comes along when you consume it.
•    Allergy shots are not necessary. For seniors who suffer from allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis, allergy shots are most certainly recommended. However, allergy shots should be administered with caution since older adults tend to have other types of reaction when allergy shots are introduced.
•    Moving to an entirely different environment will cure your allergies away. According to studies made, it doesn’t matter if you move from one place to another. If your body is predisposed to having allergies, it will only develop another set if you eliminate the first ones.

Obesity is certainly no laughing matter, nonetheless, it’s heartbreaking to see many seniors battling with excess fats and its health risks every single day. All throughout this blog, we’ve been promoting good health and fit bodies for seniors since that’s the only way we, seniors, can achieve quality life and enjoy our bodies while it lasts. Back then when obesity used to be just a bad habit of eating, when you see an obese person ambling to God-knows-where, you suppress a snicker. Nowadays, you can’t do anything but feel sorry for them and swear to yourself you won’t ever allow that to happen to your body. I say, with food choices today, it’s something that is easier said than done!
There’s something more than just being fat or carrying that extra weight. For seniors, it represents many health problems going on inside of you. Sadly, most obese seniors won’t accept the fact that they need help unless it’s too late for them, or their bodies to be saved. According to statistics, one out of three older adults in America suffers from obesity. Of these affected seniors, expect them to have one or two of the following: heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension—and that’s just half of the story!
Obesity is also to blame for health conditions such as sleeping problems, breathing difficulties and depression. Then there are osteoarthritis, incontinence and skin infections to boot, if you are really lucky. Do take note that an obese person is most likely to live a life of a disabled person than enjoy a normal lifestyle. Severe obesity, on the other hand, more or less, leads to death. Severe obesity or morbid obesity is when dieting is no longer effective and your condition now calls for drastic measures such as an operation. Generally, it is safe for obese seniors to undergo weight loss surgeries i.e bariatric and gastric surgeries, however, you still have to consult your doctor if you are thinking of having one as these surgeries do have their own sets of pros and cons to consider. Also, not everyone who has weight problem is recommended for such surgeries as your health provider will have to assess if you are qualified for one. For one, you must have a minimum of 35 BMI and in high risk of health problems.
Another point to consider is that, medically assisted weight management surgeries are just your first step in weight reduction. You will still have to observe your diet and do some exercises if you want to be healthy.

If you’re going to ask an elderly what must be the most annoying age-related problem they have ever encountered, it would be choking while trying to swallow. Since birth, swallowing comes as natural as breathing, it sustains us and indeed the ability to swallow whatever we put inside our mouths plays a very important role in nourishing our bodies. However, swallowing problems are common among seniors, some may experience it once in a while but there are also a couple of seniors who have been battling with difficulty in swallowing especially those who are in very old age.
Medically, problem in swallowing is called as dysphagia. It is not a disease but a condition. Problem is, it can be life threatening when not treated right. Since swallowing involves many processes, it is very important for your doctor to exactly pinpoint the problem to arrive at the right kind of treatment for you. It is also important for any kind of swallowing difficulties to be detected as early as possible since the condition tends to worsen over time. If you are a caregiver and you notice these difficulties in your senior, be wise enough to notify his or her doctor before it is too late.
When swallowing, do note that there is only one tube used inside our body for breathing and swallowing which forks to the lungs and stomach. When we swallow, there is a coordinated effort of the muscles to guide the food to the stomach and not end up in the lungs. Further down, there is the esophageal sphincter which acts as a door—closing and opening—to allow the food into the stomach. If a muscle failed to do its job somewhere along the line then you’ll end up choking until your eye pops out of its socket!
In elderly, lack of muscle coordination or even abnormal contractions can cause dysphagia. Seniors who are suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are the usual candidates for dysphagia since they can no longer control their bodies. Dysphagia can also occur if there is something obstructing your “pipe” like in cases of goiter wherein there is a mass, and of course cancer. Then there are some cases when there is stenosis or narrowing of the tube, making it harder for seniors to swallow.
For caregivers, be particularly vigilant of these signs as your senior may not openly admit they are having problems with swallowing:
•    Avoids dining with anyone or be caught eating—even by you. Choking can be embarrassing—reason enough to go out of their way just to make sure they won’t be seen having a choking bout.
•    Coughing while eating. Needless to say, coughing and choking sound very similar to one another.
•    Longer time spent on eating than usual. See if your senior is trying to slowly and deliberately chew their food and becomes hesitant when it’s time to swallow.

It is safe to say that with the way technology is working nowadays, keeping our body healthy the right way has become easier than it once was. Back then, we only have our mothers and our forefathers to depend on when it comes to life’s many trivial questions, especially when it comes to health. Now, we have hundreds upon hundreds of researchers working on proving—or debunking—these supposedly “facts” to help people find their way to healthy and fit bodies. As for us seniors, it would be harder to convince us since these myths are like “second skin” to us—but yes, we’ll see..
•    Knuckle-cracking leads to arthritis. I bet you think—especially our boys—your old cracking habit came haunting you as soon as your doctor suspected arthritis hurting your joints, however, studies show that knuckle-cracking has no bearing on you having arthritis later in life. Having reduced grip strength however, is a whole different matter.
•    Healthy, regular bowel movement means once a day appointment with “the throne”. Not so, there are many, perfectly healthy people who move bowels twice a day then there are those who do it once every other day. It all boils down to your diet. Nonetheless, seniors are strongly recommended to increase fiber intake since their digestion process may be faltering or slowing down.
•    Low-fat foods make you lose weight. Yes it will help but not entirely so, as you also need to cut back on your calories and make your body sweat a little if you want to lose weight. Low-fat foods you see in stores now are usually laden with other unhealthy stuff, needless to say, never depend on them.
•    Herbal preparations are harmless but very effective. They can be, but certainly not all of them. Also, you need to take into consideration that not all herbal preparations are good for you. Seniors should always consult their doctors when thinking of trying herbal preparations as it may interfere with their current medications.
•    Fresh fruits and veggies are healthier than frozen ones. Fresh is nice especially if they are handpicked—by you. Otherwise, it makes no difference if you go with frozen or canned ones, just make sure they are not soaked with unnecessary sugars and preservatives.
•    Breast cancer is purely hereditary. Genes are a factor but you can also get it if you are predisposed to it (that is, if you belong to the “high risk” group.
•    Increase fiber intake for digestion only. Fiber, in general, is good for you. There are actually two types:  soluble fiber lowers cholesterol while insoluble fiber is good for digestion. Consider fiber as the “wonder carbo” for seniors.

Ever wonder how your diet can affect the way you age? Or if it indeed delays aging for even a bit?.. I have always believed that aging is inevitable and one way or another, we will all die. Well, that’s two of the most obvious things in life for me—given facts even. However, I would not like it a bit if I go all wrinkled up and hunched over just because I did not even dare do something about aging, say, keeping my body in tip-top shape and prevent it from having age-related diseases so yes, I still fall for “anti-aging” mumbo-jambo once in a while, as long as it doesn’t hurt me or my wallet.
Anti-aging diet, on the other hand, makes perfect sense to me. Also, I don’t see anything bad in following this very simple diet that somehow “fights” aging—not that I am giving myself false hopes. Well, if it won’t fight aging itself, I imagine it will certainly do my body some good, so why not?
It seems that the magic word for fighting the body’s natural process is anti-oxidant. By now, I am 100% certain that every senior—guys and girls alike—knows what the word “anti-oxidant” means. I mean, it’s pretty hard to miss the word if it’s all over the place—in soaps, vitamins and supplements, herbal preparations, food we eat and even in cosmetics! Take acai berry for example, this very potent, anti-aging berry which earliest roots were found in Brazil has been flying off the racks ever since its first introduction in the market. Young or old, healthy and sick, they all fell for acai berries despite its staggering price. As for me, I just doubled up on my berries, munching on them like there’s no tomorrow.
Anti-oxidants fight free radicals in your body. I say, free radicals are one thing in life that is for free but you wouldn’t want to mess with. They make the aging process go faster and do damage inside your body all at the same time. You get free radicals from the air you breathe everyday (which is polluted), the food you eat (which was treated with chemicals) and radiation (which you can get from multiple imaging tests requested by your doctors). We all have certain amount of free radicals inside our body, it only gets bad if this amount is more than your anti-oxidant reserves can handle.
Anti-oxidant, together with anti-inflammatory properties can defeat free radicals hands-down and keep them at a minimum. If you’re aiming for an anti-aging diet, choose foods that are rich in these two properties. For general guide:
•    Pro-inflammatory (foods seniors should avoid): sugary foods, starches, saturated fats, and trans fats
•    Anti-oxidants (foods seniors should load up): fruits and veggies, beans and nuts.
•    Anti-inflammatory (foods seniors should add to their diet):  allium vegetables like garlic and onion, grains, and seeds.

I have always believed that one of the biggest factors contributing to a senior’s stressful life must come from work. Whether it’s working with difficult boss or maintaining a near-impossible time table and indeed, working with difficult coworkers, it can all affect a senior’s positive disposition one way or another. As fiercely suggested, seniors must try to slow down and enjoy life as it will certainly do them significant amount of good. Getting your nerves all frayed is never good for anyone, much less seniors who still have their health to consider. However, it seems that if you are working in a “team” work environment such as in an office, you are most likely to encounter a difficult coworker, whether you like it or not!
Seniors don’t have to put up with these behavioral problems your coworkers must be having, here are some tips on how to deal with them without sacrificing your own productivity at work:
•    Create a plan of action. Knowing where your options are creates a certain kind of feeling of being one step ahead of the situation. Like you have a control over things and not the other way around.
•    Assess where you stand. Difficult people almost always don’t realize they are being difficult to others, until the time someone tells them straight. If your coworker is being difficult not only to you, then it’s time to get others involved before “difficulty” turns into a problem. As much as possible, don’t take it as a personal attack unless it blatantly is.
•    Your contribution to the situation. You might be contributing to the situation without you knowing it. Try to assess yourself, your reactions to the person when he or she is trying to communicate with you.
•    As a senior, it is expected of you to have some maturity over things. With maturity comes understanding such that, you must understand how things work first and its outcome. Understanding where your coworker is coming from must be your best weapon in warding off stress.
•    It is okay to confront your coworker, but never attack the person! As much as possible, express your concerns being not so beneficial as far as your working relationship is concerned. Try to work out an agreeable flow of things to make the relationship work. Always keep your emotions in check when trying to talk to a difficult coworker.
•    When things get tougher then it’s time to involve the gods! Your supervisor, your boss or whoever is in charge for this kind of problem. Nobody wants a snitch but if it’s the only way to resolve the problem, then why not?

When we leave the hospital, we always assume that we are better and in much greater health than we were before our stay. Even our caregiver may assume that, especially if there is no doctor’s order before discharge. What we don’t know is that, it is not always the case as sometimes we still need to keep our “hospital routine” for a few days or even for a week until it’s time for a checkup. Overlooking this simple fact may even cost you a round-trip ticket to the hospital so it is really important to know what you should or should not do soon after your hospital stay!
For a senior who just had a “bed and breakfast” accommodation at your friendly neighborhood hospital, there are three things you must consider before packing your bags and leaving the hospital:  medications, next scheduled checkup, and request for further lab tests and exams. These things you can ask the nurse and of course, your attending physician. While you are at it, don’t forget to ask your do’s and don’ts especially if you are new to your condition (i.e if this is your first time having an attack for whatever reason) Make sure that you’re not allergic to any followup medication prescribed to you as well.
Followup care is as important as the care you just received from the hospital and as much as possible, you should do whatever is required until you reach your full health. Gathering crucial information can help you guarantee your way to health. If the senior in question can no longer perform these tasks, the caregiver should be able to secure information to help him or her cope with followup care.
The hospital staff is the best starting place for your information gathering since they are the frontliners in a combat like this. They know exactly what you should expect upon discharge hence they will be able to give you valuable advices on how to take care of your patient. Some hospitals may even provide you with educational pamphlets with basic guidelines on how to deal with your beloved senior’s condition. Arm yourself with these materials. Also, it is wise if you do some planning before leaving the hospital especially if the patient needs to be moved to a facility after the hospital stay.
It will also do you, as the caregiver, some good if you keep a phonebook of contact person and numbers to call in case you have a question regarding your patient’s hospital stay.

In general, goiter is when your thyroid gland is not functioning properly making the gland itself swell. And when I say swell, I mean visible, abnormal swelling around the neck area since the swelling affects the voicebox as well. Goiter is usually classified 3 ways:
•    Diffuse or colloid goiter
•    Toxic goiter
•    Nontoxic goiter
Although there is really nothing to be bothered about if you have goiter as it is treatable and not at all fatal, if you begin to feel a mass around your neck, you should consult a doctor at once for it to be tested for malignancy since presence of mass can also be a symptom of thyroid cancer. Diffuse goiter is usually found among teenagers and those who are not getting enough iodine in their diet. Diffuse goiter is usually called as simple goiter as they almost always go away on their own after a short round of treatments. Toxic goiter on the other hand, can be caused by many other things such as inflammation or Graves’ disease. It can even be a result of a diffuse goiter gone bad. You most certainly have toxic goiter if your thyroid is overproducing hormones or if you are experiencing hyperthyroidism. Nontoxic goiter on the other hand is when your thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones or if you are suffering from hypothyroidism. For seniors, the most common type of goiter would be toxic goiter.
Toxic nodular goiter is usually found in elderly women ages 60 and above and surprisingly, this disorder can never be found on kids. To determine whether a senior has toxic goiter, a simple physical exam is in order. There should also be an enlarged thyroid gland that can be felt during physical exams, to begin with. A thyroid scan can also be helpful in determining the extent of your disorder. Like stated earlier, seniors diagnosed with toxic goiter should bear in mind that your condition comes hand-in-hand with hyperthyroidism, hence you are most likely to experience symptoms of such condition like:
•    Fatigue
•    Increase in appetite and frequency in bowel movement resulting to rapid weight loss
•    Heat intolerance coupled with excessive sweating similar to hot flashes
•    Restlessness
As mentioned above, toxic nodular goiter is not at all fatal and it is certainly curable, however, in some senior’s cases wherein the body is already plagued with other health conditions, particularly that of the heart, the effects of hyperthyroidism to the body itself can cause complications. Just to be on safer side of things, it is much better to have your condition sorted by your doctor once symptoms manifest.